I make my best attempt at giving Zac a look of encouragement, although I’m not really sure what that looks like right now. One thing I do know? Your water breaking before you’re in labor—turns out that’s not what you want to happen. It often takes longer to get into active labor—four centimeters—which means you have to hurt longer before you can get an epidural. Addison was one centimeter on her last exam. This is going to take a while.

I pray this doesn’t happen to me.

“I’ve got to have something for pain. Call my nurse and tell her.”

Amy, Addison’s nurse, is a sweet, young woman with a high ponytail. She radiates happiness, which is great, but I want to warn her that her smiles aren’t flying with her patient right now. Addison’s being downright bitchy. “It’s time to check you, Mrs. Kingston.”

Amy lowers the head of the bed to do her exam and her hand disappears under the bed linens. Addison squirms, I’m sure making it harder on her nurse to see how much she’s dilated. “Oh God. Here comes another one.”

“You’re much thinner this time. Will you try to tolerate me checking you with this contraction so I can stretch your cervix?” Amy looks like she’s digging with all her might as Addison writhes. “Hang in there, Addison. Almost … finished.”

“Motherfucker!” She grabs Amy’s wrist and I can tell that she’s squeezing it. “You’ve got to stop.”

Her nurse takes her hand out from under the covers and removes her glove. “Got you to four centimeters. How you feel about getting an epidural?” She returns to the bedside after depositing her bloody glove in the trash and begins lifting the head of the bed.

“Yes!” Addison calls out. “Stat!”

Amy giggles with her childlike grin. “Okay. I’m going to start your IV fluid bolus and I’ll get the anesthetist in here.”

“Thank you, Amy.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. Glad we could get you to that point,” she says before leaving the room.

That’s a lot of change since her last exam. “That’s fantastic—from one to four centimeters. They said you’d only dilate a centimeter an hour once you got going, so maybe things are going to pick up.”

“Thank God. That exam felt like she was ripping me a new one, but I don’t think I’d be getting an epidural if she hadn’t stretched my cervix.”

“That’s good. Means you a have a nurse who knows what she’s doing and can get this done.” I want Amy to take care of me when I come in.

Zac remains in the designated chair where Addison told him to park his ass. “Baby, I’m not sure I can handle seeing them put that long needle in your back. I’m getting a little woozy just thinking about it.”

“Zac Kingston, you are not going to wuss out on me.”

“I don’t want to but it’s not like I can help it. I’m weak when it comes to medical stuff—especially needles. I can’t handle them.”

“Too bad. You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here.”

Addison is being rough on Zac. I hope I’m not this way with Jack Henry when the time comes. “I’ll stay in case it becomes too much for you and you have to leave.” I want to tell my best friend she’s being a total bitch to her new husband and he doesn’t deserve it. Zac has been there for her through everything from the moment she told him about the baby, so I’d really like to tell her to cut him some slack. I don’t have the chance, though, as the anesthetist and Amy come into the room.

The man with Amy is wearing blue scrubs—and must be at least sixty since his hair is solid gray—so I’m hoping that’s a sign of experience. “I hear someone in here is looking for an epidural.”

“Yes, honey, bring it on. Where you want me?”

“Sitting—either cross-legged or with your legs dangling. Either is fine. Just make sure both legs are in the same position so your back doesn’t twist.”

Amy positions Addison so she’s holding a pillow around her pregnant abdomen. “Poke your lower back out. The more you curl around the pillow, the more you open those spaces. When you sit up, it closes the space, so try to curl your spine into a C and hold that position until he tells you that you can sit up.”

Addison gets situated and I watch from across the room, mesmerized by what they’re doing to her.

“I don’t feel so good.” I look at Zac—he’s a sick shade of white.

Amy gives me directions from where she stands. “Can you help him to the couch and get his feet up.” Addison is leaning against her nurse for support. “I can’t move from this position.”

I steer him toward the sofa and I’m instantly worried because Zac’s a big guy and I’m a not-so-big girl. “Please don’t pass out on me because I can’t catch you if you go down.” I’m relieved when his ass hits the cushion and he spins to put his legs up on the arm. “What now?”

“Put some pillows under his feet,” Amy answers.

“And then take pictures,” Addison calls out, still remaining in position. Zac doesn’t laugh or argue. He really isn’t feeling well but maybe a tiny little bit of pink is returning to his cheeks.

I go into the bathroom and wet a washcloth for him. “Here. Maybe this will help.”

He takes it and wipes his face. “Thanks. I think I’m gonna be okay now.” He sighs. “I can’t fucking stand needles.”

I look at the black ink on his biceps. “Both of your upper arms are covered in tats.”

“That’s different. Those only tap the surface of the skin. Nothing gets shoved into your spine.”

“They didn’t shove a needle in Addison’s spine.” But it did sort of look like that’s what they were doing.

“I think I can sit up now.” He rises to a sitting position and puts his feet on the floor, staring down so he doesn’t catch a glimpse of Addie or what they’re doing to her. “You all right over there, blondie?”

Addison doesn’t answer and we both spin around to see what’s going on. Amy smiles and points at Addie. “Already asleep.”

Is that normal? “Did the epidural put her to sleep?”

“The epidural didn’t do that. She’s exhausted because she’s been at this for a while, and it’s quite early, so the poor thing is worn out.” And I’m sure she wasn’t in the bed sleeping when all of this got started. I’m guessing Jack Henry almost had the scenario right.